After a gruelling five hour journey round the M25 and up the M6 we finally arrived at Oulton Park in warm sunshine, however the forecast was not looking good as it had been predicting rain for the Saturday meeting all week. During the night the rain came down and we awoke to a very wet paddock. We had a grid of 19 attending for the Thoroughbred race, seventh of the Season and our penultimate round.
The Championship had been healthy all Season and I have already received the green card from the MSA that our 2016 Championship is confirmed.
The E class had initially seven entries but six by the race including a late entry of a Morgan ARV6 Russell Paterson and his Son just seventeen years old out in the D Class in a Morgan Roadster giving a total of four in the Class, three Morgans and a TR4. There were five in Class B gaining one extra by the Race as Simon Cripps had damaged his gearbox in the V8 in the BCV8 race so had opted to start from the back of the grid in his Roadster.
Qualifying was at 11.11 as the meeting was running early due to the new qualifying structure and all completed with apparently no problems although plenty of bonnets were up after practice. It was a wet practice and even wetter when the rail fell down.
A few of the drivers were at the circuit on Friday to do a practice day and Neil Fowler had a gearbox failure but had a spare in his supplies. When we arrived on Friday evening he was busy fitting it, with a few helpers. His problems didn’t finish there as in the earlier BCV8 race his n/s half shaft had broken on the start line and so he had to change that as well. What else would you do on a wet Saturday afternoon.
Wet Qualifying gave Overall Pole with 2.11.468 and Class E to Spencer McCarthy who sat alongside Rob Spencer. Row two Neil Fowler and Russell McCarthy, Row three Ian Prior and Class D Pole Elliot Paterson, on row four sat Russell Paterson alongside the vacant spot for Babak Farsian, Babak unable to race due to his engine blowing in the BCV8 race earlier.
Row five Peter Samuels alongside Ken Deamer and on row six Alex Laidlaw and Alan House. Kathy Sherry was on row seven alongside Barry Holmes and on row eight Jordan Spencer and Michael Hunter. Finishing the field Clive Gimson and Guy Samuels
Added to the back of the field was Simon Cripps in his Class B Car, first time driving it in anger – although he seemed to have a great big smile on his face.
THE RACE
From the lights Spencer McCarthy got a good start to lead the field into Old Hall Bend with Rob Spencer, Ian Prior and Neil Fowler behind all within 1.5 seconds. Next Russell McCarthy after a bad start with oil coming from the car after a gasket change, that didn’t work, before the race.
By the time they crossed the line to start the second lap Russell Paterson was just in front of son Elliot and behind Ken Deamer with Class B leader Peter Samuels next and up from the back of the grid Simon Cripps. Then Barry Holmes and a gaggle of Morgans lead by Kathy Sherry with Alan House and Alex Laidlaw all fighting for position.
Next the GT6 of Clive Gimson and the TR4 of Michael Hunter. Finishing the field Guy Samuels, whose dad was up front in charge of Class B
By lap two the order was changing, Neil passed Rob but both were still tight on the back of Spencer and
Ian was a few lengths back. Russell M was still smoking badly and had dropped back slightly. Clive Gimson had taken to the grass and retired.
Behind the two Morgans of Russell and Elliott were having a great dice with Dad just keeping in charge and Elliott hounding him just a cars length behind. The remaining Class D drivers Ken Deamer Jordan Spencer and Barry Holmes were strung out behind.
Peter Samuels was still in charge of Class B but Simon had caught him up by lap three and was all over the
back of him and by lap six Simon had made a dive and passed him. Simon breaking Russell M’s lap record that had been set back in 2006 in the process.
The Morgan trio in Class C turned into a duo with Kathy and Alan having a good race but Alex slipping back. Michael Hunter lost control at the Chicane and both Rob Spencer and Neil Fowler had taken to the Escape road so yellows were out, Russell McCarthy pitted but then out came the Red so the race was stopped on the sixth lap and the times presented as the previous lap.
Spencer led from lights to flag with Neil coming home second and Rob third.
Congratulations to Spencer McCarthy for Overall and Class E
To Elliot Paterson for Class D
To Kathy Sherry for Class C
To Peter Samuels for Class B and also for being awarded the Driver of the Race by the Commentators.